Theophilus Inc. began clearing the land in 1986 for five-acre homesites, but in recent months the company has caught the wrath of unhappy Round Lake Road residents who don't like a mining operation in the midst of their rural countryside.

I am sure it takes some time to chop down a few rolling hills and convert 150 acres of agriculturally zoned land to 30 homesites and horse trails overlooking Round Lake Road. But 10 years?

Please!

Surely developer L.J. Norman and his corporation, Theophilus Inc., must be joking when they say 1997 is a reasonable date for completing the development. But they're not.

Work on the site began in 1986, and in February 1987 the developer was given permission in the form of a conditional use permit (CUP) to sell the excess clay and sand extracted from the site.

Earlier this year, the county denied the company's request to operate a soil cement plant and excavation business. The developer had pleaded that the plant would speed up land clearing.

Now the company has submitted a revised CUP that would give the green light to operate the cement plant for six years, beginning in 1988, and continue excavation through 1997.

Sorrento traffic lights a first. Meanwhile, a few miles from the Theophilus Inc. site, Sorrento residents are anxiously awaiting the installation of two traffic lights. ''It's about time,'' said a woman standing at the Amoco Service Station at State Road 46 and County Road 437 -- the busiest intersection in town.

A second light will be installed by the J & J Lounge farther east on S.R. 46.

Wow, you say? What's the big deal about installing two traffic lights in town?

Well, it's very important for a community that didn't have any traffic lights in the first place, even though two dangerous intersections threatened life and limb daily.

''The school buses have to wait 20 minutes to get across S.R. 46,'' said Juanita Wade, who was preparing takeout sandwiches near the meat counter at the Village Grocery Store. ''We really need those lights.''

Leesburg fund raiser for team. Hometown supporters of the Leesburg Dixie Major All-Stars team dipped into their pockets last week and came up with $4,000 to help send the team to the Dixie Major World Series in Alexandria, La., this week.

A last-minute $500 donation from the Boardwalk and Baseball theme park in Polk County put the campaign over the top. Leesburg won the state championship in a 8-7 come-from-behind win over Winter Haven.